General formula for the running of local fNL

We compute the scale dependence of fNL for models of multi-field inflation, allowing for an arbitrary field space metric. We show that, in addition to multi-field effects and self interactions, the curved field space metric provides another source of scale dependence, which arises from the field-space Riemann curvature tensor and its derivatives. The scale dependence may be detectable within the near future if the amplitude of fNL is not too far from the current observational bounds

Inflation in minimal left-right symmetric model with spontaneous D-parity breaking

We present a simplest inflationary scenario in the minimal left-right symmetric model with spontaneous D-parity breaking, which is a well motivated particle physics model for neutrino masses. This leads us to connect the observed anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background to the sub-eV neutrino masses. The baryon asymmetry via the leptogenesis route is also discussed briefly.Comment: (v1) 4 pages, 1 figure; (v2) typos corrected; (v3) title and abstract changed, numerical estimates given, minor changes; (v4) 5 pages, relations between the neutrino masses and the CMB fluctuations become more explicit, miscellaneous changes, to appear in Physical Review

Sustainability of multi-field inflation and bound on string scale

We study the effects of the interaction terms between the inflaton fields on the inflationary dynamics in multi-field models. With power law type potential and interactions, the total number of e-folds may get considerably reduced and can lead to unacceptably short period of inflation. Also we point out that this can place a bound on the characteristic scale of the underlying theory such as string theory. Using a simple multi-field chaotic inflation model from string theory, the string scale is constrained to be larger than the scale of grand unified theory.Comment: (v1) 9 pages, 1 figure;(v2) 10 pages, references added; (v3) 15 pages, 4 figures, more discussions about parameters and observable quantities, references added, to appear in Modern Physics Letters

Conformal invariance of curvature perturbation

We show that in the single component situation all perturbation variables in the comoving gauge are conformally invariant to all perturbation orders. Generally we identify a special time slicing, the uniform-conformal transformation slicing, where all perturbations are again conformally invariant to all perturbation orders. We apply this result to the delta N formalism, and show its conformal invariance.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figur

Effects of Different Cutting Height on Nutritional Quality of Whole Crop Barley Silage and Feed Value on Hanwoo Heifers

The present study evaluated the effects of different cutting height on nutritive value, fermentation quality, in vitro and in vivo digestibility of whole crop barley silage. Whole crop barley forage (Yuyeon hybrid) was harvested at height of 5, 10, and 15 cm from the ground level. Each cutting height was rolled to make round bale and ensiled for 100 days. After 100 days of ensiling, pH of silage was lower (p<0.05) in 5 cm, but no difference between 10 and 15 cm of cutting height. The content of lactate and lactate to acetate ratio were increased (p<0.05) in 5 cm of cutting height, whereas the acetate content was higher (p<0.05) in 10 and 15 cm than that of 5 cm cutting height. Aerobic stability was greater (p<0.05) in silages of 10 and 15 cm of cutting height. Three total mixed rations (TMR) were formulated with silages from the three different cutting heights (TMR5, TMR10, and TMR15) incorporated as forage at 70:30 ratio with concentrate (dry matter [DM] basis). In vitro dry matter digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in the TMR5 and TMR10 than that in TMR15, whereas in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in the TMR10 and TMR15 than that in TMR5. Concentration of NH3-N was highest (p<0.05) in the TMR10 followed by TMR15 and TMR5. Total volatile fatty acid was decreased (p<0.05) with increased cutting height. The digestibility of DM and neutral detergent fiber were highest (p<0.05) in TMR15, than those in TMR5 and TMR10, whereas acid detergent fiber digestibility was higher (p<0.05) in TMR5 than that in TMR10. The results showed that increasing cutting height, at least up to 10 to 15 cm, of whole crop barley forage at harvest (Yuyeon) may be beneficial for making silage for TMR formulation and increasing digestibility of DM and NDF

From the Spectrum to Inflation : An Inverse Formula for the General Slow-Roll Spectrum

We propose a general inverse formula for extracting inflationary parameters from the observed power spectrum of cosmological perturbations. Under the general slow-roll scheme, which helps to probe the properties of inflation in a model independent way, we invert the leading order, single field, power spectrum formula. We also give some physically interesting examples to demonstrate its wide applicability and illuminate its properties.Comment: 8 pages, no figure ; References expande

The overmethylated genes in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric mucosa are demethylated in gastric cancers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The transitional-CpG sites between weakly methylated genes and densely methylated retroelements are overmethylated in the gastric mucosa infected with <it>Helicobacter pylori </it>(<it>H. pylori</it>) and they are undermethylated in the gastric cancers depending on the level of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) events. This study delineated the transitional-CpG methylation patterns of CpG-island-containing and -lacking genes in view of the retroelements.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The transitional-CpG sites of eight CpG-island-containing genes and six CpG-island-lacking genes were semi-quantitatively examined by performing radioisotope-labelling methylation-specific PCR under stringent conditions. The level of LOH in the gastric cancers was estimated using the 40 microsatellite markers on eight cancer-associated chromosomes. Each gene was scored as overmethylated or undermethylated based on an intermediate level of transitional-CpG methylation common in the <it>H. pylori</it>-negative gastric mucosa.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The eight CpG-island genes examined were overmethylated depending on the proximity to the nearest retroelement in the <it>H. pylori</it>-positive gastric mucosa. The six CpG-island-lacking genes were similarly methylated in the <it>H. pylori</it>-positive and -negative gastric mucosa. In the gastric cancers, long transitional-CpG segments of the CpG-island genes distant from the retroelements remained overmethylated, whereas the overmethylation of short transitional-CpG segments close to the retroelements was not significant. Both the CpG-island-containing and -lacking genes tended to be decreasingly methylated in a LOH-level-dependent manner.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The overmethylated genes under the influence of retroelement methylation in the <it>H. pylori</it>-infected stomach are demethylated in the gastric cancers influenced by LOH.</p

Selective N,N-Dibenzylation of primary aliphatic amines with dibenzylcarbonate in the presence of phosphonium salts

In the presence of catalytic amounts of tetraalkylphosphonium salts and under solventless conditions, primary aliphatic amines (RNH2: R ) PhCH2, Ph(CH2)2, n-decyl, and 1-naphthylmethyl) are efficiently N-benzylated to the corresponding RN(CH2Ph)2, using dibenzyl carbonate as the benzylating reagent. Compared to the reaction run without salt, where the competitive formation of the benzyl carbamate is favored, the phosphonium salt promotes high selectivity toward the benzylated amine and an increase of the reaction rate as well. However, in a single case explored for an amino acidic compound, namely 4-(aminomethyl)benzoic acid [4-(NH2CH2)C6H4CO2H], both N,N-dibenzylation and esterification of the acid group were observed. Analysis of the IR vibrational modes of benzylamine in the presence of tetrabutylphosphonium bromide supports the hypothesis that this enhanced selectivity may be due to an acid-base interaction between the salt and the amine, which increases the steric bulk of the amine and favors attack of the nucleophile on the less hindered alkyl terminus of dibenzyl carbonate

Sublingual Immunization with M2-Based Vaccine Induces Broad Protective Immunity against Influenza

The ectodomain of matrix protein 2 (M2e) of influenza A virus is a rationale target antigen candidate for the development of a universal vaccine against influenza as M2e undergoes little sequence variation amongst human influenza A strains. Vaccine-induced M2e-specific antibodies (Abs) have been shown to display significant cross-protective activity in animal models. M2e-based vaccine constructs have been shown to be more protective when administered by the intranasal (i.n.) route than after parenteral injection. However, i.n. administration of vaccines poses rare but serious safety issues associated with retrograde passage of inhaled antigens and adjuvants through the olfactory epithelium. In this study, we examined whether the sublingual (s.l.) route could serve as a safe and effective alternative mucosal delivery route for administering a prototype M2e-based vaccine. The mechanism whereby s.l. immunization with M2e vaccine candidate induces broad protection against infection with different influenza virus subtypes was explored.A recombinant M2 protein with three tandem copies of the M2e (3M2eC) was expressed in Escherichia coli. Parenteral immunizations of mice with 3M2eC induced high levels of M2e-specific serum Abs but failed to provide complete protection against lethal challenge with influenza virus. In contrast, s.l. immunization with 3M2eC was superior for inducing protection in mice. In the latter animals, protection was associated with specific Ab responses in the lungs.The results demonstrate that s.l. immunization with 3M2eC vaccine induced airway mucosal immune responses along with broad cross-protective immunity to influenza. These findings may contribute to the understanding of the M2-based vaccine approach to control epidemic and pandemic influenza infections